This invention relates generally to kites, and more particularly to positionally adjustable strut connectors for kites.
There are various kite structures which are manufactured, stored, shipped and used with relative ease. Kites of this nature usually have a detachable strut which is used as a brace between the struts which support the leading edges of the wings of the kite. Usually the ends of the bracing strut are placed in connectors which attach to the respective wing struts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,932, for example, discloses and illustrates strut connectors or brackets which have been used to attach the bracing or cross strut to the wing struts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,040 likewise discloses a kite strut connector which is used to connect the cross and wing struts. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,963,200 and 4,072,284 illustrate other types of strut connectors.
It is believed that all strut connectors which have been used heretofor are deficient in that they can only be used for a specific kite which has a particular angular relationship between its leading edges. For example, and for purposes of illustration only, if the kite illustrated in FIG. 1 were placed on a flat surface and if planes perpendicular to that surface and coincident with the longitudinal axes of the wing struts were extended until they met, an angle B having a specific dimension would be formed for a given kite. If a manufacturer desired to produce a kite having either a larger or smaller angle B then a different strut connector would be needed since all previous used kite connectors have had a fixed angular relationship between the wing strut holder and cross strut holder. Hence, for each kite having a different angle B a manufacturer has been required to provide a different strut connector. This has forced the manufacturer to invest relatively large sums of money for the various molds which need to be used to produce the different strut connectors.
It would be desirable, consequently, to provide a strut connector which could be universally used with all kites irrespective of the angle B of the kite.